Industry Season 4 Episode 1 Review: PayPal of Bukkake

On Industry Season 4 Episode 1, “PayPal of Bukkake,” Harper Stern attempts to maintain control of her own fund, while Whitney Halberstram tries to secure the evolution of Tender.

Industry‘s most impressive quality lies in its ability to craft such detailed characters. That is exercised impressively in the season premiere as we spend a majority of the episode’s beginning with completely new characters.

Although we’re only just meeting them, they are painted with such vivid strokes we’re immediately invested in them.

Charlie Heaton plays Jim Dycker with an animalistic quality as he lurks in the strobe lights of a club. We don’t need to know what he wants with the seemingly unsuspecting Haley, but we know he’s going to go after it with everything he’s got.  

Meanwhile, Haley proves she’s got just as much bite as Dycker, if not more, with one single line expertly delivered by Kiernan Shipka. The way she’s able to flip from this unsuspecting persona and back again marks her as someone who is not to be trifled with. 

This show has always been about survival, power, and the way people manipulate it to benefit their own goals. It’s not entirely clear how Dycker and Haley are going to play into the big picture, but it is clear that they are more than capable of ensuring their survival in this web.

We’re also introduced to Haley’s boss, Whitney Halberstram, and his co-founder Jay Jonah Atterbury. Max Minghella and Kal Penn flesh out this intricate dynamic from their first moment on screen together. They’re at odds with where to take the company they built together but there is a deep love between the two.

It’s a bold choice then for Whitney to oust Jonah from the company in episode one. Much safer shows might have taken time for the dynamic to play out a little more and crescendo at the end of the season with this betrayal. Whitney removing Jonah so quickly heralds the arrival of a cutthroat new character.

With the Online Safety Bill looming over the episode, Industry continues weaving in real world conversations and catering it to their story. There’s very little regard for the community at the center of the bill; the priority is always protecting profit. While that ideology is not new to the series, examining it through this particular lens broadens the scope of the series.

This lens also creates a path for Sweetpea Golightly to step into focus. Though we don’t get a ton of time with her on this episode, Miriam Petche beautifully conveys the character’s isolation despite her best efforts to move forward from her photo leak.

However, Sweetpea isn’t some sob story; Petch uses rock bottom as a foundation to build Sweetpea’s ferocity. Her hunger bubbles beneath the surface, waiting to seize the perfect opportunity. Placing her in Harper’s inner circle primes Sweetpea for the deeper exploration that this character frankly demands. 

Which brings us to the boss herself, Harper Stern.

Myha’la’s mere presence shifts the entire room; Harper’s opening moments are powerful and electrifying. The entrance is simple but also encapsulates everything Harper’s been hurdling toward over the course of Industry. She’s in control, she commands the room, and she is on top.

Or so we think.

Initially, it feels like this season will examine Harper’s attempt to navigate power now that she has it. However, much like with Jonah and Whitney, “PayPal of Bukkake” wastes no time shaking Harper’s stability and tosses her back to square one. 

It’s slightly frustrating to see this character revert back to her worst tendencies; after everything she fought for, she still can’t quite control her impulses. Yet, maybe that’s the point. Try as they might, these characters never shake their toxic tendencies because they are only committed to bettering their status, not their actual selves.

For better or worse, Harper strikes the moment she is backed into a corner. Frustrating as it may be, this decision reiterates Harper’s fighting instinct and need for control. It’s also why Industry continues to get better and better with each season.

The series remains unafraid to subvert expectations. Pulling the rug out from two characters so quickly reminds us that no one is safe in this world. It’s tantalizing TV that keeps the audience on their toes at all time. 

In all the chaotic debauchery, the show remains honest, also confronting Harper with the cultural pushback to diversity initiatives. It’s harsh, sobering, and utterly effective. In true Industry fashion, we’re confronting the cultural temperature head-on and the bluntness is the point.

The moment also affirms why Harper is the way she is. She is immediately at a disadvantage the moment she enters any space as a Black woman in her industry and the world. She’s had to fight her to get a crumb of what her peers get.

As soon as control and stability is seized from her, she fights back. Her decision, though impulsive, is born out of necessity. 

Harper doesn’t crumble in this moment, though; she pivots almost mid-conversation. Who better to pivot with than someone she understands?

While it’s not initially clear where “PayPal of Bukkake” is taking Harper, everything falls into place beautifully when Eric reenters the picture. This moment between the two cleverly brings Eric back into the fold while examining their dynamic in a fresh way.

Ken Leung continues his expert portrayal of Eric here; the restlessness and exasperation is not overdone, but it is apparent with every line delivery. Thanks to his brilliant physicality, we see how easy it is for him to settle back into his old life when giving Harper advice. Though he’s spent time trying to find balance and peace, Eric can’t quit the intoxicating allure of his profession.

Some may feel like these characters are backsliding. However, Industry feels intent on examining these people through a new lens and higher stakes, ultimately pushing them to places untouched.

“PayPal of Bukkake” takes the chess board and throws it into the air, leaving audiences breathlessly waiting to see where the pieces fall. If there’s one thing about Industry though, it’s that they won’t fall where we expect.

Stray Thoughts

• Rishi, as always, feels like a loose cannon. It will be interesting and stressful to see how he tries to get back into the thick of things. 
• The only major drawback is how little Yasmin is in this episode. However, there’s a lot of pieces to introduce to get the series in motion, so I trust she will be brought into the fold in a satisfying way soon. It will be interesting to see how she comes into Tender’s orbit.
• Harper and Whitney together feels like a disaster waiting to happen.

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Industry airs Sunday at 9:00 PM ET on HBO.

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